The Wilmingtonian., 1887-01-15
Trade Schools.

in contradistinction to what is at present tn
received meaning of public school educatio
is receiving SO much attention in neighboi
ing States, aud, as We understand from Go
erDor Stockleys Message to the Legislature
has at length mildly impressed its impoi
rance upon the State authorities.
An exchange, the JoAaal Of United Labo,
has the following direct marks which az
well worth the perusal Of all those ntereste
in the question.
AFTER trial Of forty years or more, GU
commonschool system, by many, is pronouu
crd failure. 1t seems neither to deYelo
talent nor to prepare the pnpil for thu practi
cal business Of life. The curriculum is to,
straighr-laced, compelling systematic
course Of study independent of mental bias
The student is graduated with a to!erabl,
degree of knowledge of many branches o
,tudy. He knows little Of everything, bn
not enough of one thing. He is like mai
with fine assortment OF tools with but little
knowledge of their use.
The first experience OF the young man after
leaving school, in majority of cases, is most
disheartening. lie has fancied himself pre-.
pared for any employment that may be pre-.
| seDted. His first efforts leave him with tht
conviction there is nothing in life for him to
do. -..-
If patient and observant, he will discover
his mistake lay in expecting people to bu,
when he had nothing to sell. Eager and
willing, he knows how to do nothing we'll.
The old apprentice system has gone by.
The personal supervision of the master, whicl,
was its soul, is no longer bestoa ed.
The master mechanic no longer dee.ns i,
his duty to teach large numbers of lads even
If the Union would agree. lie who solicts
work must first know how. This is the sys
TEN of the professions "The scient fic
schools are TO the engineer and architect" ;"
says writer in the Centuyy, what the Law
schools and the medical colleges are to the
lawyer and the ply Sic'au; OF what the busi
ness college is to the clerk, the trade school
must be to tile mechanic,
1t is this change in systems that has given
the recent impetus to schools for manual IN.
trnctiun. And in this the girl is qlite al
deeply interested as the by. 1t is now re.
cognized that the girl can become 10 mt e
an expert in ler department of work, wi.a-
nut special tla;ning, than can the boy.
Until recently there were but few feminine
Industries that could not be gained at d,
tiresde. A few weeks apprenticeship with
the tailor or dress-maker gave to the grl
every qualification to euter upon vacation
honorable and independent. This meagre
training will no longer suffice. The field OF
womans work las broadcned and calls ior
the highest degree of fitness.
This is the leading 0 the opening If in
dustria' training schools for gils all over
the country. in one respect the girl has the
advantage Of her hrotl er. With her there
are no subdivisions of work She Is instruct
ed in every detail of tile whole.
In mechanics, the tendency is to subdivi.
sion. boy learns Que thug ard is Ike, at
it. He simply becomes a spec .alist.
T,ade schools were first started On the
continent Of Europe about the middle of the
last century. In England and in this country
they are of more receut origin,
In 1862, Congress made laad raLt fol
the purpose of lr"moting the study of me-
chauics and agriculture in this country. The
report of the Secretary of The Interior OF
education in 1882 gives list of 10 different
schools and colleges which owe Their cxs-
teuce to this giant. OF the: e, the best known
are the Institute OF Technology, Boston, and
the Hampton Institute, Va Tue Massachu-
sets Institute might properly he called
school for ioremen, as its graduates are found.
experimenting industrial establishments all
over the United States.
When at the close of the war four million
of men, women and ehiidIen became the
wards of The nation, General S. g. Armstrong
undertook the founding of school that
should give them such instruction as should
enable them to take care of themselves, ana
pref aie teachers of their own race This
was the foundation OF the school at Hamp-
ton. Another type of the Industrial School
is to he found in the Worcester Free Insti-
tute.
Many do not distinguish betw, en- manual
instruction and trade instru ition. In manu-
al instruction the lad is taught how to use
tools;tor the purpose Of developing his hands
and arms precisely as other lessons are given
to develop his memory or his observation.
Manual training schools ,ducut lad in the
use Of tools, trade school m lkes him pro
ticient in some art Of practical utility.
Manua! instruction has already been incor-
purated in the public-schoo system of Phila-
delphia aud Boston. Tue New York Board
Of Education has maintained for some years
IA workshop at the Free College.
The exhibition last spring held by the In-
dustrial Education Association, of New
York, of childreu's handlwork drew univer-
A.. A. i.